Aphrodite's Jest
by Tarma Hartley
Summary: Lykaon, physician in the Chora of Delphi, anxiously awaits the visit of his lover, the former Spartan mercenary, Alexios. Lykaon x Alexios. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
1. Chapter 1

**KICKIN AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME THUMBNAIL ARTWORK,** _ALEXIOS X LYKAON **, IS A PATRON REQUEST DONE FOR ME FOR OCTOBER BY STUDIOKAWAII! THANKS! :)  
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A/N: _The characters of Alexios and Lykaon, Praxithea, Agave,Alkibadias and Barnabas do not belong to me; they belong to Ubisoft. Athena and the plot, however, are mine. I gave the name Timon to the civilian you talk to during Lykaon's romance quest in the Cjora of delphi, the man who looked after the animals.  
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 _Lykaon, physician in the Chora of Delphi, anxiously awaits the visit of his lover, the former Spartan mercenary, Alexios._  
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This fic takes place three years after the time ingame. There are some spoilers for _Assassin's Creed: Odyssey._ The online sources I used will follow in a separate chapter after the story is complete.

Written from the perspective of an Ancient Greek. I've taken a heck of a lot of liberties with the plot (and added some history) in order to flesh out my story better.

Prayers to the Gods and to Pasithea and Asclepius do not exist anywhere outside of my own imagination and are my own creations. Pasithea is the Greek Goddess of Rest and Relaxation, Mother of Morpheus  
Asclepius is the Greek God of medicine, healing, rejuvenation and physicians. Lykaon's personal patron God.  
Morpheus is the Greek God of Sleep and Dreams  
Zeus is the Greek God of Thunder and King of All the Gods  
Hera is the Greek Goddess of motherhood, childbearing and marriage. Also called the Queen of Heaven. Sister and Wife of Zeus  
Poseidon is the Greek God of the Sea. Brother of Zeus.  
Aphrodite is the Greek Goddess of Love. Daughter of Zeus and Dione.  
Dione is mentioned in four places. One in the Phoenician religion described in the Sanchuniathon. Dione is translated as "Goddess", and given the same etymological derivation as the names Zeus, Diana, et al. Very little information exists about these nymphs or goddesses, although at least one is described as beautiful and is sometimes associated with water or the sea. Perhaps this same one was worshiped as a mother goddess who presided over the oracle at Dodona, Greece and was called the mother of Aphrodite. (taken directly from here: wiki/Dione_(mythology) )  
Exomie: a knee length tunic draped over one shoulder (usually the left) and pinned with a brooch. Made of a lighter linen material.  
Chiton: knee length tunic made of a lighter linen material draped over both shoulders.  
Himation: a larger cloak worn over the peplos (inner tunic that was worn by women) or chlamys (men).  
Chalmys: A rectangle, woolen, blanket-sized robe that men wore. Typical Greek military attire. Love and sex were very different affairs in the Ancient World than it is to us today. Marriages were arranged usually by the prospective bride and groom's parents. Girls in ancient Greece married anywhere from 12-16 and men from 25-40. My very first Assassin's Creed: Odyssey Lykaon and Alexios fic! Hope you enjoy! Not beta read There may be changes later on; always room for improvement!

Hope you enjoy! :)

Rated T, male/male relationships, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Romance/Drama, Alexios x Lykaon  
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 _428 B.C._  
 _October 16_  
 _Home of Lykaon_  
 _Chora of Delphi_  
 _Greece_  
 _5 A.M._

The singing of birds woke Lykaon early that morning and he laid there for some time listening, a sweet smile spreading over his face. This was his favorite time of the day and he relished the sweet song for awhile as he lay there. He opened his bleary eyes and blinked a few times in order to clear the cobwebs of sleep, running his fingers through his dark brown curls. _Thank you, O Divine Pasithea, Mother of Morpheus, for having brought me through the night._

A few minutes later, he was fully awake, sitting up and swinging his legs over the bed to touch the rug on the floor, rose from his bed, shivering slightly in the chill morning air. He rubbed his shoulders and arms in order to generate some warmth before he stood up to get dressed for the day. He had the feeling that the day would prove to be the same biting chilliness as the seasons passed. Yawning, he sat up and stretched, getting the cramps out of his muscles.

There was a definitive bite in the air that morning, and he felt it more now that he didn't have a woolen blanket thrown over him. He hastily grabbed his exomie, the linen knee-length tunic that all Greek men wore, that was lying over the back of the small wooden chair next to the bed. He quickly pulled it over his head and smoothed out the wrinkles, reaching for a bronze brooch and pinning it on at the shoulder, the folds hanging in graceful pleats.

Nodding in satisfaction, he placed his necklace around his neck, tied the blue strip of fabric to his upper arm and wrapped his leather belt around his waist. He sat down on the edge of the bed and put on his sandals, tying the strips quickly before he stood and reached for his himation, a rectangular piece of wool that he threw about his shoulders to ward off the chill that lay on a small wooden chair to the left of the bed's headboard.

Now finished dressing, he could properly begin his day. Lifting his arms, he said his morning prayers to the household gods, thanking Them for bringing his safely through the night and then he turned to the shrine he had in a corner of his bedroom to the Greek god Asclepius, the god of medicine, healing, rejuvenation and physicians and his personal patron: _O Divine Ascelpius, guide my hand this day and allow me to channel your healing power into my hands so that I may distrubute it to all who come to me. Let me be Your Divine conduit for their healing, and let my hand do no harm to anyone, be they friend or foe._

He bowed respectfully before the image, placing a bouquet of wildflowers in front of the statue along a small bronze dish of wine. _Thank you, Divine One, for all of your help during the time of the Great Sickness. I shall sing of your mercy forever. Thank You, Divine Zeus and Hera. Thank You all the Gods and Goddesses of Greece for Your Protection. Grant that never shall such a calamity befall the Chora again and may You protect us from all harm._

His religious duties completed for the day, he turned and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen where he broke his fast with cheese, some bread, olives and grapes, washed down with a glass of wine. After he had eaten, he began his busy workday with a quick trip to the market to pick up some herbs for his poultices and some dried fish and meat for the evening's dinner. He stopped off at the local barber's shop for a quick haircut and beard trim. he chatted pleasantly with the barber, Melitus, hearing all the discussions and gossip of the Chora.

He returned to his home and saw a lineup of patients who had come to see him. He greeted each one pleasantly and tended to them as they needed, humming a merry tune as he went about his daily business as Physician with a spring in his step and a smile in his brown eyes, cheerfully greeting both neighbors and patients as he began his busy day. The air was crisp with the wonderful autumn bite that he appreciated after a long, hot summer, his woolen tunic keeping the chill to a minimum as he bustled about tending to his patients and visiting his neighbors when he had the time away from his duties or a short break for lunch.

Throughout the day whenever he wasn't occupied with making his poultices and potions or seeing his patients, his thoughts lingered pleasantly on his lover, and former Spartan, Alexios, who would be coming to visit him tonight.

 _Alexios..._ He sighed as he thought of the handsome Spartan who held his heart, the corner of his lips quirking into a smile as he beheld him in his mind's eye. Beautiful of body with hazel eyes that could express tenderness so well, strong of mind, a warrior to his very marrow yet he was gentle, tender even, in his lovemaking and in their private moments together.

He remembered with pleasure their last meeting four months earlier which had been the last time he had come through the Chora. They had enjoyed a swim in the nearby lake, had a picnic on the shore after they had dried off in the sun and then pleasured each other until Aurora's rays touched the sky. By Poesidon's beard, how he missed him!

 _So tough an exterior over a gentle interior.._ He paused a moment over his herbs, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully before sorting them into two equal piles on the wooden table he had outside his home. _How odd that a tried and true warrior could be so gentle in his dealings with people...and in private moments. A misthios with a soft side..._

His train of thought was interrupted by Athena, a small raven-haired child of six years who stood waiting at the end of the dirt road leading to his residence. He smiled at her, handing her the packet of herbs for her grandmother who was doing poorly, the child taking it solemnly.

"Tell her to take these with a glass of wine once a day which should help her ward off the cough. And tell her to wrap up in a woolen cloak; the linen one she insists on wearing won't help very much with the cold to come."

"Thank you, Lykaon," the child said politely before turning and scampering off, her face wreathed in smiles.

Lykaon watched her until she was lost to sight before chuckling quietly as he returned to work.

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 _4:30 P.M._

"You seem to be in good spirits this day, Lykaon," his sister Agave remarked, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she watched him at work, tucking a lock of stray brown hair behind her ear. She'd come to his home earlier that afternoon for a visit and, though he was surprised to see her, he was nonetheless happy and welcomed her inside.

Lykaon hummed a merry tune as he made up his various potions and healing concoctions, his sister occasionally giving him odd looks as he bustled about. _The potion looks just about right. In a few more minutes, it should be ready..._ He cheerfully ignored her pinched, sour expression, his mind full of thoughts of Alexios, marveling that there was more to the Spartan than met the eye.

 _A fighter with a heart as big as the Aegean._

"I am, sister." He smiled at her. "The sun is shining, the air is crisp, the leaves on the trees are beautiful. What's not to like?"

She looked at him askance. "What good tidings have you had, brother?" Her eyebrow raised. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that you were under some sort of evil spell!"

 _You aren't wrong, my dear sister...although it is not for the reason that you think._

He turned his head to look at her, a dreamy smile on his face. "I'm happy this day, that's all." He paused a moment, looking out the open window to his left momentarily. "I awoke to a lovely, crisp morning; my repast to begin the day was particularly good; the bird song especially sweet and I saved a family from the terrible sickness plaguing the Chora some time ago. I am gratified to hear that they have all fully recovered and have sent a generous stipend as thanks."

"Anything else?" Agave knew her brother too well to be put off.

Lyjaon wished that she wouldn't pry so much into his affairs but he answered her question in the same mild tone of voice. "This evening will also bring a guest to dine with me at my humble home and one in whom I have taken great pleasure in times past."

 _And not only of the conversational kind..._

She snorted but not unkindly. "Ah, you mean that Spartan scamp that you are so fond of..." Her eyes softened momentarily as Lykaon looked down at the floor, a soft pink creeping into his cheeks.

"Indeed, sister." He returned to the potion bubbling on the fire in the hearth, stirring it with a thin, wooden stick. "I am looking forward to his arrival with great joy."

Silence reigned for a few moments between them until Agave broke it, her eyebrow raised. "You _really_ care for the Spartan, don't you?"

He nodded. "I do." He bit his lip. "Indeed, I...must confess that I have lost my heart to him."

"And what of him?" Her tone was hard and he knew the reason why without having to ask. "How does _he_ feel for _you_?"

He shook his head before turning to face the hearth where a potion flask bubbled on the fire. "I'm...not entirely certain. I'm sure that he has had other lovers in the seven months we have been apart but that does not concern me." He shrugged his shoulders. "All I can say for sure is that my thoughts are only of Alexios and my heart yearns for him."

"What if he doesn't feel the same toward you? What will you do then?"

He turned to face her, a grave look on his face. "I don't know, sister; we'll deal with that once we get to it." He sighed in exasperation. "I know that your first meeting with him was unhappy but could you not set aside your animosity for my sake?"

"Brother..."

He reached out to her, catching one of her hands in his own and squeezing it affectionately while she did her best to hide her angry expression. "I know not what the Fates, or even the Gods, have in store for me but I do love this man with all of my heart; that much is a certainty. Whatever time we have together we will have, for as long as it has been decreed."

"You are a fool, Lykaon." Her voice was flat.

He smiled wanly. "Perhaps but that still does not change my feelings for him." He sighed. "Sister, please...I love him and whatever time we have is most precious to me. Could you not be happy for me?"

She gritted her teeth. Their relationship had been strained since the incident involving their grandmother, Praxithea three years earlier, but it was slowly being rebuilt, little by little, over the past seven months. It had been a difficult transition for all of them: Lykaon to forgive Praxithea for her deceptions as the Oracle of Apollo, Praxithea to forgive herself for being used by the Cult of Kosmos, ruining lives and bringing about the destruction of Alexios' own family years earlier and Agave to forgive Praxithea for being impious and for her own hardness of heart.

Even though she and Lykaon often butted heads over various issues, she loved him dearly and wanted only his happiness, a happiness that she was not entirely certain he would find with the Spartan. Her hand curled into a fist as she thought of it and the implied insult to her brother. She wasn't deaf; she'd heard plenty of rumors, and spicy gossip, about Alexios' sexual prowess with other men freely in Chora's Market. And it infuriated her that Lykaon seemed to take it all in his stride, as he usually did. Why did he not stand up for himself? Why this continued ignorance of what the Spartan was doing away from him?

 _He can be such a jellyfish,_ she'd thought unkindly at the time, _I have more spirit in my little finger than he does in his entire body!_ This was part of the reason that she and her brother had been at odds for so long; it was her continued insistence that he stand up for himself and his mild reassurances that he had no problem with either gossip or rumors of Alexios' infidelities didn't mollify her at all. Instead, it only infuriated her all the more.

When she continued to press the point, he'd pointed out, in exasperation, that they were not promised to one another and he was free to court whomever he pleased. He also told her that he was free to do the same although he chose not to and he was sure that Alexios would come back, as he always did, and that was the end of the matter as far as he was concerned.

 _You are such a fool!_ With a growl and muttered curse, Agave had stormed out of the house, slamming the door pointedly behind her. They hadn't spoken for some time after that and, much to her surprise, it was Lykaon who'd sought her out to soothe hurt feelings nine months later; she was stunned to learn that it had been Alexios, himself, who had encouraged Lykaon to mend fences with his sister. Agave still didn't fully trust him but her hard feelings toward Alexios did soften somewhat although she still thought that the mercenary was not a good match for her brother.

 _Hera forgive me for I am sister to a fool!_ She was silent for some time before she spoke again and when she did, it was with resignation, her arms lying limply by her side.

"Are you _truly_ happy with this man, Lykaon?"

"I am."

"Very well; if I can't talk some sense into you, Zeus forbid, then I leave you to do as you wish." She turned and then stopped in mid-pivot, turning once again to look at him. "Grandmother passes on her greetings and hopes that you will come to see us again soon." She paused, her hand lying on the wooden doorjamb. "Please forgive my harsh words, brother; I..I just don't want to see you hurt, that's all, nor do I wish to see you used as a mere plaything for a Spartan's momentary amusement." She made a face. "You know how fickle they are with their affections."

 _I know how freely Spartans love and I truly hope that you take my warning to heart._

Silence reigned between them for a few moments before he broke it. "Tell Grandmother that Alexios and I will come to see her two days from now. I'm sure that we would both enjoy the visit." _  
_  
She didn't respond but merely nodded her head and he once again took her hand in his, squeezing it affectionately.

"Thank you, Agave," he said simply before he dropped her hand and went to take the potion, now bubbling merrily, from the hearth, placing it beside the fire on the stone sheet. She watched him for a few moments before she turned and walked outside, closing the door behind her. She leaned back against the door, letting out the breath that she had been holding, closing her eyes.

 _I hope, for your sake, that you are right, Lykaon._ Agave opened her eyes, and looked up at the velvety black sky above, frosty stars twinkling merrily overhead. _I hope that you are right. The Gods go with you._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2!

If it seems like I'm writing in circles, I'm really not; I'm simply expressing the very real, and often confusing, feelings that Alexios is dealing with which does tend to loop over and over again in a person's mind when they're trying to discern how they feel. I did goof up earlier by accidentally copying and pasting the whole fic into the middle. Oooops.

philia: brotherly love  
eros: romantic love

Eros is the Greek God of Love. Son of Aphrodite.

This chapter is foreshadowing another series I plan to do with Lykaon and Alexios' further adventures together as a family entitled _Tales Of A Misthios_.  
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 _October 16_  
 _3:30 P.M._

Alexios rode through the woods on the hills six miles outside of the Chora, Phobos breathing hard as his hooves clattered over the rocky outcrop. He had been riding since early this morning and he was anxious to get to the Chora of Delphi before nightfall but that seemed unlikely as he could see the stars beginning to poke through the twilight colored sky. He sighed as he spurred the tired horse on with his leather-booted heels.

Phobos snorted, warm air hissing through his nostrils as he shied to the left, lifting his legs and pawing the air with his hooves. Alexios gently pulled on the reins, making soothing noises to the tired animal who snorted and shook his head, pawing the ground.

"Easy boy, easy." The mercenary patted the side of the horse's neck tenderly and he calmed down long enough for him to get him back under some kind of control, rubbing the side of his neck gently before he sat up on the animal's bare back.

Alexios looked over the horizon, his himation wrapped tightly around him, heart starting to hammer in his chest. _He is close.. so close and yet so far away._ Phobos snorted once again, shaking his mane from side to side but nonetheless stood still, leaning down to munch at some wild growing grass that swayed tantalizingly close to him.

Alexios smiled and then reached into the leather pouch that he wore at his waist, pulling out some cheese, bread and a handful of olives. He popped an olive into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he scanned the horizon around him, eating the rest in quick succession, his hazel eyes darting quickly about the rocky landscape.

He was a mercenary and a mercenary didn't let their guard down even for a moment since that one moment could be their last. He was always on alert... except when he was with Lykaon and, much to his surprise, he longed to be near him. It seemed damnably unfair that he was so far away and he couldn't help but wonder where that interesting thought had come from.

 _Perhaps the Healer means more to me than I think..._ He broke off a piece of cheese and bread and ate it, reaching for the flask on his hip and taking a long draught of wine before returning it to its place on his leather belt. _There seems to be no other explanation for it, Gods know I've tried. Barnabas assures me that it isn't the machinations of an evil spirit but that I am in love._

He had been noticing the subtle changes come over him the past few months: more often than not, Lykaon was on his mind from the time he woke up in the morning until he went to sleep at night; he even invaded his dreams and they reveled pleasantly together in them. It was curious, truth be told, but he shrugged it off at the time as being of no consequence.

As the weeks and months rolled by, those same feelings kept returning which had brought to his attention another curious thing: he'd had numerous offers from both men and women for sexual dalliances but he had politely refused them all, shaking his head in wonderment at this change in himself as he noted their puzzled, and disappointed, looks as he walked away.

He was a Spartan-former, he mentally added-and knew that Lykaon had no problem with him seeking out comfort in someone's else's bed when they were apart but, as of late, he found himself not wanting to, feeling like he was being unfaithful to the Healer by being another person's bed partner.

It was an odd thing, to be sure, and even Alkibadias had commented on it in their last meeting some six months earlier when he had traveled to Athens to consult with Perikles over a military matter he had asked his help with.

 _"You're such a bore, Alexios,"_ he had sniffed with petulant disdain, _"all work and no play. It is a great pity because you were once so much fun. I must confess that it surprises me that you wish to take on the strangling yoke of fidelity."_ The Athenian had shuddered and then fluttered his eyes prettily at him. _"Are you sure that I can't tempt you?"_ He'd run slim fingers over his arm, a sultry come-hither look in his eyes. " _My bed has been awfully lonely lately and political intrigue really isn't all that warm on a cold Autumn evening... Wouldn't you.. possibly reconsider, Lexie?"_ He leaned closer to him, his breath tickling the skin on Alexios' cheek. _"Hmmmm?"_

Alexios smiled as he remembered the conversation, popping in the last of his bread and cheese into his mouth, taking another large swallow from his wine flask. He'd politely refused his entreaties, stepping back and reaching over, gently removing his hand from his arm, much to the Athenian's obvious dismay and irritation if the childish pout on his lips was any indication.

 _"Thank you for the kind offer but I think I'll pass, Alkibadias,"_ he'd said as he turned away, _"I have someone waiting for me in the Chora and I am most anxious to set sail right away to go back to him." He_ bowed slightly before pivoting and walking toward the door and leaving the establishment, the silver-haired Athenian sighing and cursing him in equal parts behind him. He hadn't seen him again though his travels often took him in and around Athens. He had heard, from Barnabas, in the six months since he'd left that Alkibadias had been keeping himself busy with numerous affairs, both political and sexual.

 _Zeus help whoever gets in that man's way..._ _He may enjoy sex with many different partners, but he also enjoys a good political rivalry and is bound to stir something up merely for the amusement factor._ He took a deep breath and looked up at the blue sky while Phobos continued to munch on the tall grass. _He's not like Lykaon: so gentle, so tender... with a voice like warm honey..._

He shook his head hard before pulling Phobos' reins back taut, hauling the stallion's head up from his meal. The animal turned his head slightly, giving him such a baleful look at his interference in his supper that he couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't worry, old friend," he murmured softly, patting the side of the stallion's neck once again before pulling the reins to the left, spurring him on lightly with his heels, "there will be a good meal waiting for you once we arrive at Lykaon's, I promise." He looked out over the horizon once again, going over the time and distance left to travel before they arrived in the Chora. "We'll be there soon."

The stallion once again turned his head to look at him, his ear twitching. Alexios knew his partner well enough to know that Phobos didn't seem convinced but, refreshed by his snack and the short rest, started off again at a brisk trot that turned into a full gallop as soon as they got a mile down the dusty dirt road.

Once they were in full flight, Alexios' mind wandered once again to the question of just how odd he'd been feeling lately on the topic of Lykaon. He found it amusing that he, a tried and true mercenary, had so much interest in the gentle Physician and wondered whether that was what was causing him so much unrest of late. It was like Lykaon was permanently fixed in his mind and no matter how hard he tried to dislodge him, he didn't budge.

 _How strange that this should be the case._ Alexios bent down low in the saddle as they raced through the forest, dodging low hanging branches. _Why is this and why is he always on my mind?_

He also found that his heart was yearning for him and it was such an odd, disturbing feeling that came over him that he decided that, once they docked in one port of call after they had finished dealing with a cache of pirates off of the coast, that he would race to the nearest temple of Apollo and consult with a priestess there over the possibility that he was cursed by an evil spirit.

Before he had an opportunity to do so, he chanced to run into Barnabas who, noticing the strange way that he had been acting, had inquired if there was something amiss. Alexios, happy to at last unburden himself, told him everything that had been on his mind although it took a few days for him to completely open up to Barnabas over a few private conversations.

The older man had waited patiently as the mercenary unburdened his heart, listening in respectful silence before he laughed, slapping him on the shoulder.

When the startled mercenary demanded an explanation, thinking that Barnabas was making light of his feelings, he was assured that he wasn't making fun of him and he knew the reason why he was feeling so strangely: He was, he'd said, suffering from the sharp sweetness of Eros' arrows, not an evil spirit.

 _"You're in love, misthios,"_ he'd stated baldly to Alexios' demand of an explanation for his strange pronouncement, his sky-blue eyes twinkling with mischief as he stood beside him on the deck of his ship, his gnarled hands locked behind his back. _"The greatest gift that the Gods ever gave mankind, despite what others, or our Legends, might say."_ He arched an eyebrow at him, his voice teasing but sincere. _"You are in love, misthios, have no fear. It isn't an evil spirit but the Divine Eros striking you with His arrows."_

After Barnabas had finished speaking and once again reassuring him that it wasn't anything evil that was tormenting his thoughts but love, he'd thanked him and then turned to walk down the gangplank of the trireme, mulling over what the older man had told him.

 _That_ gave him food for thought and he'd taken much time to consider the possibility that he was in love with Lykaon as Barnabas was convinced was the case, as strange as it sounded to him. Before this, he had assumed that this was simply because he valued the Healer's company, both in bed and out, but he was astonished to find, over the course of time, that it seemed to go much more deeply than just merely two men scraping against each other.

It was almost as if they were connecting on a different plane than they had been previously: not merely skin deep, like Alkibadias, but soul deep. It was not feelings of philia that filled his mind and heart but feelings of eros. And, most curious of all, not only was he thinking of Lykaon but he actively desired him as well and no one else mattered to him.

The realization staggered him, shaking him to the very core of his being. _What manner of the jest of the Gods is this?!_

It was after that one, brilliant moment of clarity that the mercenary began to realize just exactly what his feelings really were for the Healer. Somehow, and he knew not how it had happened, he had fallen deeply in love with Lykaon. Which surely must truly be a joke of the Gods, especially the divine Aphrodite Herself. Who else could have enticed a mercenary to fall in love with a Physician, two people so diametrically opposed?

As hard as he might, he couldn't shake that feeling nor could he shake the fact that he wanted to get back to the Chora as soon as he possibly could which was quickly followed by a sharp stab of unease that perhaps Lykaon had tired of waiting for him and had taken another partner to himself.

 _He wouldn't do that, surely... would he?_ That thought depressed him and he shied away from it as quickly as he could, pushing it back into the furthest corner of his mind although that awful possibility.

He knew that Lykaon _didn'_ t have a problem with him seeking others for sexual company-as the Healer, himself, had pointed out, they were _not_ promised to one another and Lykaon himself was also free to seek others for bed partners if he wished-but this seemed to ring hollow in his ears, like it was an excuse from an unfaithful partner to justify their infidelity, if not to their wronged lover then to themselves. And that thought troubled him.

 _It seems so..._ wrong. _.. even though I know it isn't._ He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, his teeth gritted. _What kind of spell have you cast on me, O glorious Aphrodite, that I should suffer this deep rooted pain?_

It was shortly after this that he had begun to shun others' offers of lovemaking, politely refusing then leaving the room before any unpleasantness could erupt. It hadn't, thank the Gods, but he didn't want to take the chance that it might since one never knew who would take offence and who wouldn't. Even the once appealing Alkibadias, whom he knew would gladly welcome him into his bed whenever he wished-and the silver haired Athenian had said so on many different occasions-had lost his luster for him.

Much to his annoyance. Alexios couldn't help but smile at that as Phobos cleared a rock outcropping in one fluid leap. He always said that he enjoyed me more than any of his other lovers and I have no doubt that he spoke the truth, despite him being hip-deep in political machinations in Athens. He ducked under a low hanging branch as the horse raced around a corner. It surely must be the jest of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, but I can't deny that Lykaon means more to me than anyone I know or have known... and I want to be with him and no one else.

This was new to him; he wasn't really sure of where these feelings had come from but, more often than not, he found himself gazing dreamily out over the horizon in the direction of the Chora, wondering how the Physician was faring and if he missed him.

 _Lykaon..._

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 _5 P.M._

As Phobos raced on through the night and Alexios clutched a glowing lantern in his free hand in order to help him guide his way through the dark night, his mind traveled back once again to his very confusing feelings and the desire as of late to put down roots. He'd had his share of adventures in the past, both on land and in the _Andrestia_ , but he'd found himself, more than once, yearning to return once again to the Chora and back to Lykaon's side. He couldn't help his thoughts drifting, wondering off and on through the last couple of months if it was time that he settled down and left the sea-faring and mercenary life behind for good. After all, he wasn't getting any younger and he yearned for a hearth and home to call his own, perhaps even a child or two to raise.

Over time, it had ceased being a passing thought and one he realized was starting to harden into a firm, heartfelt desire. Once he would have refused to even entertain the thought, relegating it to the machinations of an evil spirit and leaving it at that; now, he desired it with his whole heart, yearning for both hearth and home with Lykaon.

 _That_ gave him food for thought and he'd taken much time to consider the possibility that he was in love with Lykaon. Before this, he had assumed that this was simply because he valued the physician's company, both in bed and out, but he was astonished to find, over the course of time, that it seemed to go much more deeply than just merely two men scraping against each other.

It was almost as if they were connecting on a different plane: not merely _skin_ deep, like he had with Alkibadias, but _soul_ deep. It was _not_ feelings of philia that filled his mind and heart but feelings of eros. Not only was he thinking of Lykaon, but he actively _desired_ him as well and no one else mattered to him.

The realization staggered him, shaking him to the very core of his being. _What manner of the jest of the Gods is this?!_

It was after that one brilliant, illuminating moment of clarity that the mercenary began to realize just exactly what his feelings _really_ were for the Healer. Somehow, and he knew not how it had happened, he had fallen deeply in love with Lykaon.

 _Which surely must truly be a joke of the Gods, especially the divine Aphrodite Herself. Who else could have enticed a mercenary to fall in love with a Physician, two people so diametrically opposed?_

As hard as he might, he couldn't shake that feeling nor could he shake the fact that he wanted to get back to the Chora as quickly as possible. He also couldn't help but feel a sharp jab of unease that perhaps Lykaon had tired of waiting for him and had taken another partner to himself. His heart cried out in pain at the thought.

Once again, he came back around to Lykoan and the very real desire he had to settle down with him in the Chora, and perhaps raise a child or two.

 _How Alkibadias would laugh if he knew what was in my heart!_ He greeted a passing soldier on the dirt road leading to the Chora, who lifted his spear in salute as he rode by. _He would probably think that the Healer had cast some kind of spell over me and he isn't wrong in that regard_. _I don't know how but...I can't stop thinking of him and how much he means to me. Is this what being in love means? Is this what Barnabas meant when he said I was in love?_ He bent his head as a branch brushed the top of his head. _It's such a curious feeling..._

He had no idea how the Physician himself thought of the matter of home, hearth and eventual children but it was something that he resolved to talk to him about sometime during their visit for, this time, he intended to stay. No more would he wander and, if there came a time when he must put out to sea for some reason, he wanted Lykaon to accompany him.

Phobos seemed to fly over the road and it was with relief that he could see the lights in the Chora glimmering dimly in the Stygian blackness and his heart leaped for joy when they started to come into view, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. _I guess it means I'm growing up_.

He chuckled softly and then gave a shout as they pulled up outside of the Chora, holding Phobos to a walk as they entered the town.

 _I'm here, Lykaon. Add I can't wait to see you..._


	3. Chapter 3

_Alexios and Lykaon's thoughts on their relationship...and how they're both afraid that one doesn't feel the same. Timon provides relief and a mysterious priestess makes an appearance.  
_ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX _  
_**

Timon is the name that I've given to the nameless civilian in the Chora who looks after the animal pens ingame. Alexios and Timon do know each other from his many visits to Lykaon over the past three years; while they may not be bosom buddies, they are friendly acquaintances so they do talk. Although I suspect that Timon likes to needle Alexios a bit. :D Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Thanks to studiokawaii, two of my best friends, for their input; MUCH APPRECIATED, dears and THANK YOU BOTH!

I may change things in the future; always room for improvement!

Wow. This is amazing. From an eight page oneshot it was intended to be, it's grown into a probable five chapter story. 0.0

I've used Greek words with the help of an online Greek-English dictionary ( search?q=greek-english+dicitonary&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1-ab) Chaire means "Rejoice" ( question/index?qid=20090225175105AAIfgIm). Expresses good wishes for the welfare of the person addressed. Good wishes I think fits it best.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **6:30 P.M.**

Lykaon hummed a soft tune as he went about preparing dinner, making each dish with the utmost care. He'd closed up shop a little earlier than he normally did this evening so he would have time to prepare the food before Alexios arrived.

Oil lamps around the house glowed softly in the darkness as he busied himself putting the finishing touches on the dinner. Thanks to the kindness of three of his neighbors, Lykaon didn't have much to do in the way of preparation but he took his time arranging the meal on ceramic platters and placing them close to the couches on the circular table.

He stood back, frowning as he looked at the arrangement on the table. It didn't seem quite right to him; he wanted everything to be perfect and, not being satisfied, moved the platters adjacent to where they had been previously, nodding in satisfaction. He placed the wine jug on the table, along with two black ceramic kylix cups, adjacent to their separate plates so that it would be accessible by both of them during the meal.

Lykaon smiled as he turned, walking back into the kitchen and began hunting around for loaves of bread to add to the table both for eating and something to wipe their fingers on.

 _I can't wait for his arrival... it's been so long...!_ Thoughts of Alexios drifted once again to the forefront , a warmth spreading through him as the handsome Spartan filled his mind: his quirky, sweet smile; his laughing hazel eyes; his beautifully muscled body, scarred though it was from his years as a mercenary; his sweet, melodic voice; his dark brown hair, some of his locks braided and adorned with beads; his tawny skin, touchably soft though it was rough in places; strong, slim fingers; his tenderness in their private moments... _Ah, gods, I am obsessed..._  
 **  
**He shook his head and went back to getting the figs arranged properly on another platter, along with a small wheel of goat cheese, chuckling at himself for behaving like a lovestruck adolescent. He couldn't deny his feelings for Alexios and it seemed that the Goddess of Love Herself, Aphrodite, had firmly planted him in his mind.

 _How pitied and poor we mortals should be, subject to the whims and whimsies of the Gods. Surely, it is a divine jest that a physician falls in love with a mercenary._ He couldn't help but smile at the irony. _A jest worthy_ _of the Divine Aphrodite Herself..._

He paused for a moment and then shrugged as he set back to work to finish putting together Alexios' welcome home meal.

 _The whims and whimsies of the Gods are far above me and I truly think that we cannot understand Their designs, nor should we even try. That is the job of Philosophers and Priests, not Physicians._

He hastily pushed this aside and continued with the preparations, checking everything to make certain that he hadn't forgotten anything and that all was ready. There was something else at the edge of his consciousness that was nagging at him but he pushed it back, preferring to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

 _Let's see if I have everything._ He wanted everything to be perfect; it had been far _too_ long since they had seen each other last and he had missed Alexios terribly during their separation. He had gone to the local Temple of Apollo to offer sacrifices weekly for his lover's safe return when he had set sail seven months earlier.

He anxiously waited for word of Alexios and his heart swelled with gratitude, and heartfelt relief, when he received Alexios' message that he was safe and would be coming to see him as soon as they made port in Karrih.

 _Thank you, Divine Apollo._

He couldn't wait to see him again and he bustled about arranging, and rearranging, oil lamps and platters on the table and in the room itself. He always looked forward to their meetings with great joy but tonight was different, somehow; underneath the excitement was a faint, uneasy feeling, an undertone of sadness hidden beneath the joy.

 _Does he feel the same?_ This was the thought that bothered him the most, both in his waking hours when he had too much time to brood and in the night when he couldn't sleep, because he didn't know the answer.

He sighed, trying to lose himself in work but it seemed as if it would be different tonight; usually when he busied himself with one task or another, the dark thoughts would eventually vanish but, for some reason that was unknown to him, they seemed determined to torment him tonight.

It was always the same thought, that uneasy, gnawing fear: he didn't know how Alexios felt and that left his mind free to imagine all kinds of different scenarios, none of them good.

 _Not exactly,_ he hastily corrected himself, hurriedly rearranging the fish and figs, _it would be more truthful to say that I am uncertain if he feels anything beyond our... arrangement. Not that he's ever complained._

He hated when this happened since he had no desire to appear to be suspicious-he loved Alexios and trusted him-but this awful thought kept popping up more frequently as of late and it troubled him. He and Alexios were grown men who could make their own decisions but it bothered him that he wasn't exactly certain how the mercenary, himself, felt about their arrangement.

 _Arrangement. It sounds so ugly..._ He made a sour face. _When did this come about?_ Once, he had been content to share him with others; now, that was no longer the case. He didn't want to share Alexios, he didn't want him seeking out other people when they were apart. He wanted him only for himself.

 _I wish that I wasn't so aware of it..._ To be fair, he'd never complained in the three years that they had been seeing each other regularly so Lykaon thought that it suited him very well. It had suited him very well also but he was surprised to realize that his own feelings had changed.

He frowned, biting his lip as he cut up some fruits and set them on the plate. _And why now? Why am I feeling this way? It makes no sense._ He paused a moment, looking over through the open window at the far end of the room. _We've had this understanding since we met three years ago; why do I feel so..._ exclusive. _.. now?_

He shook his head and continued to slice the pear carefully into segment, arranging them beside the honey drenched orange slices, sprinkled liberally with some chopped nuts. _I'm being ridiculous, feeling jealous and possessive. There is no reason why I should feel this way; Alexios certainly doesn't so why do I? Besides, we are not promised to each other and he is free to court whomever he pleases. As am I._

He stopped, his hand hovering uncertainly over the platter, some dried figs held in his trembling fingers. It rang hollow in his ears, echoing in his heart. It didn't sound honest, no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that it was or regardless of how many times he repeated it. _Something_ had definitely changed in the interim and he was at a loss to explain exactly _what_.

He gritted his teeth before quickly moving on, placing the dried, salted fish on another platter, along with some crusty bread slices, and finishing with a handful of nuts and black olives in a half moon circle around a small black ceramic dish of oil mixed with herbs.

 _There._ He stepped back, tilting his head slightly to the right. _Its absolutely perfect._ He looked over the room, a soft smile on his face, glancing at the water clock across the room from him. It was almost time. He looked once more out the window in silence as he awaited Alexios' arrival, pushing down the dark thoughts into the deepest recesses of his mind.

 _Alexios..._

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _Chora of Delphi_  
 _Stables_  
 _7:30 P.M._

Alexios brought Phobos to a complete stop at the stable, the stallion snorting but standing in place while Timon, the older gentleman who lived in the Chora and looked after Lykaon's animals, rushed out to greet him.

"Kalos irthate (Welcome) Alexios!"

"Geia sas (Hello), Timon." He dismounted quickly while Timon caught up Phobos' reins in his hand, his gnarled hand lying on the stallion's neck. "How are you?"

"I'm quite well, misthios, thank you." He glanced at Alexios, his head titled slightly to the right. "And you?"

"I am well, thanks be to Apollo."

Timon nodded, gently clucking under his breath as he led Phobos to his stall, the stallion snorting his thanks at the smell of sweet hay and fresh water, quickening his pace.

"Are you here for an extended visit?" Timon's voice was curious and Alexios couldn't help but smile. It was always like this whenever he visited Lykaon and he knew the reason for the inquiry: Timon cared about the Physician and didn't wish to see him hurt; in fact, everyone who lived here cared about him, something that Alexios knew would not likely be extended to himself.

 _Loyalty to none, open to all. It's no wonder that people don't trust us._

Being a mercenary tended to make for lonely going and he knew well that, of all burdens in the world, his was one of the heaviest. A sword for hire was never truly trusted by anyone and he really couldn't blame people for being wary of his kind which was one of the reasons, among many, that he appreciated the elderly man's bald honesty. He'd heard plenty of rumours and juicy gossip about himself, and his sexual conquests, that had been making the rounds in the Chora Market. He hadn't thought much about it at the time, preferring to ignore the tales but now, knowing what was being said about him and it not being true, nettled him.

"As a matter of fact, Timon, I am." He grinned at the slow smile that spread across Timon's face as he tended to Phobos, rubbing the sweaty animal dry with a soft linen towel. "I'm here to stay... _if_ Lykaon will have me, that is." It was said lightly but he couldn't hide the stab of unease that had entered his tone and Timon was quick to pick up on it.

"Oh I don't think that you have any worries on that score, misthios," Timon replied, mischief in his tone as he set about filling Phobos' manger with sweet hay and fresh water in his trough. "He's missed you terribly since you've been gone."

Alexios' lips quivered at the corners, amusement coloring his tone. "Did he now?"

Timon nodded. "He did." He glanced at the mercenary out of the corner of his eye. "He loves you, Alexios, more than he can express in words."

Alexios' eyebrow rose but a relieved grin was slowly starting to cross his features.

 _Timon would know._ Alexios followed behind him outside of the stable, Phobos munching happily away at his supper. _He would never lie about something as serious as this to me or anyone else. He, like all the others in the Chora, love Lykaon and wouldn't want to see him hurt._

Timon nodded, his brown eyes twinkling.

"I would never tell you an untruth, misthios," he intoned solemnly, almost as if he had read his thoughts, "he _does_ love you and I am gratified to see that the same is true of you in return."

Alexios' cheeks colored a bit but he remained silent. To outside ears, Timon sounded very much like a meddling busybody but he also knew that the old man had made himself Lykaon's unequivocal guardian and was merely looking out for his charge.

 _And I have no quarrel with that, though it does irritate me a little._

"I'm happy to hear that," he murmured softly, refusing to say anything more, Timon giving hm a sidelong glance. After a few uncomfortable moments, Timon broke the overbearing silence and they chatted for a few minutes about inconsequential things and, once the conversation had wound down, Alexios had started to turn when Timon stopped him, his hand once again clapping onto his shoulder.

"Alexios."

Giving the old man a quizzical glance tinged with annoyance, he turned to face him, his eyes flickering down to see a small, leather-shaped package tied with gold thread held in Timon's hand.

"Yes?"

"Someone left you this package earlier today." Timon's voice was matter-of-fact as he held it out to him.

"Oh?" Alexios' voice reflected his surprise as he took it from the old man, turning it over in his hand, his brow furrowed, the irritation he felt vanishing.

"Yes, misthios. She was most insistent that I give it to you."

Alexios' eyenrow rose. " _She_?"

Timon nodded. "It was an elderly woman...I think she was a priestess of some kind although I'm not sure which Temple she belongs to. I've never seen her in the Chora before so I'm assuming that she was probably visiting from somewhere else."

"What did she look like?"

"She was dressed in a pure white robe over a golden gown, hair of purest white draped over her shoulders and down to her waist. She wore gold sandals on her feet, a gold belt wrapped around her waist, a gold browband with a glistening ruby at its center, a gold triple lopped necklace gracing her throat. She had a kind smile, a rich voice that sounded like warm honey, a very beautiful face and the most curious brown eyes." He paused a moment. "Is she anyone you know? She seemd to know you."

Alexios shook his head. "It doesn't sound like anyone I know," he said diffidently, shrugging his shoulders as he put the package into his belt pouch. "You're sure that she said specifically to give it to me?"

Timon nodded. "Yes. She was most insistent about it." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, his index finger tapping against his bottom lip. "It was odd, I grant, but I said I would so she gave me this package and told me to give it to you once you had arrived in the Chora."

"Did she say anything else?"

Timon shook his head. "No. She repeated to make sure I gave you this package and then turned and walked away. I watched her until I had a customer come and, when I looked over to where she had been a few moments before, she was nowhere to be found."

"She just... _disappeared_?" Alexios' voice was skeptical.

"That's the truth of it, Misthios. One moment she was there, walking away and the next she was gone."

"Strange, very strange." He glanced at Timon before reaching into his money pouch, pulling out fifty drachmae and handing it to the old man despite his protests to the contrary. "Thank you, old friend." He brushed off his remonstrance, grasping the old man's hands in his own. "You have earned it and honestly. It is only right to pay you for the services rendered."

He smiled at him, squeezing his hands before releasing them, Timon sighing as he pocketed the coins, murmuring his thanks.

They stood in silence for a few moments more until Alexios broke it, the chilly evening air biting through his himation. He shivered slightly, his breath curling in wisps in front of him.

"If there isn't anything else I'll take my leave of you, Timon."

Timon blinked and then chortled as he turned to face him.

"Ah, so anxious to see your young scamp are you?"

Alexios nodded, a half-smile gracing his lips.

"I am." He looked up at the night sky for a moment before looking back at Timon. "It's been far too long since I saw him last."

Timon chuckled as he slapped Alexios on the shoulder.

"Then take your leave. Misthios; your young man awaits..."

Alexios chuckled, reaching out, grasping Timon's arm underneath his elbow and squeezed.

"Chaire, Timon."

Timon smiled and returned the gesture. "Chaire, Alexios. Gods go with you."

"And with you."

Timon lifted his hand and waved as Alexios disappeared into the night.

As he went back to his work, Timon couldn't get the strange encounter with the old priestess out of his mind; there was something about her that struck him as quite odd although he still couldn't put his finger on exactly what that might be.

She was a very beautiful woman despite her years and her warm, soothing voice sounded absolutely heavenly.

 _Was the old priestess really a woman...or was she a Goddess in disguise?_ Timon looked up at the frosty stars twinkling in the night sky for a few moments, his brow furrowed. _It wouldn't be for the first time that one of our Gods, or Goddesses, have revealed themselves to humanity or come to earth for one reason or another. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, was said to have appeared in the guise of an old woman in our past and stayed with a local family in the area so why couldn't another Goddess do the same? I wonder..._

He shrugged his shoulders before pivoting and walking back to his house, greeting his family as his mind whirled with possibilities. As he took his wife's hands in his own and kissed her tenderly on the cheek, he thought that it might not be a bad idea to visit the Temple of Aphrodite in the Chora and make offerings.

Just in case.


	4. Chapter 4

**HUGE HUGE THANKS** to StudioKawaii for their commentary on this chapter! MUCH APPRECIATED, AS ALWAYS, DEARS! :)

The line "I can't stay forever. But, for now, let me take care of you, Healer'" comes directly from _Assassin's Creed: Odyssey_ ingame although the "h" isn't capitalized.  
 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _T _he Chora of Delphi  
_ _On the way to Lykaon's home  
_ _7:54 P.M.__

Alexios quickened his step as he walked through the darkened streets, torches burning brightly intermittently in copper sconces fixed to the outside walls among homes in the outlying Chora. He waved at passersby who, after a moment, greeted him warmly much to his amazement. Still others, who knew him better, stopped to chat with him briefly before, with good wishes for himself and Lykaon and for the favor of the gods, they parted and he continued on his way.

 _Perhaps Lykaon has helped with this acceptance since you wouldn't expect poeple to be so welcoming to a mercenary._ He blushed slightly at the thought. _It certainly would make sense. Maybe people, here in the Chora at least, are starting to trust me since they walked by without having one hand on their sword hilt._ That made him feel better and it was with a more confident step that he turned the corner at the river and made his way toward Lykaon's home. _How things have changed._

He chuckled, his hand traveling down to his hip, gently touching the leather pouch he had tied around his waist. _How other things have changed, as well._ He couldn't help but smile as he did so, thinking about what was contained within: an arm bracelet that he'd found on his trip to Messara.

He'd taken a job there to protect a Messaran shepherd from a gang of local thugs and had found the bracelet in a bush a few miles down the road. It was beautiful: solid gold, a ruby red jewel, square cut, in the middle with curlecues on either side. Alexios, who was no goldsmith but knew a piece of jewellery with both beauty and value, was astonished that such an exquisite piece was lying tucked away in a bush beside a dusty road.

 _Very curious._ He couldn't help wondering from where it had come from and decided to see if he could find the owner but his inquiries into who the piece belonged to met with silence; it was curious that something so valuable should have been put in such of an out of the way place and no one knew who had done so or why.

In the end, he decided to take it to the local magistrate to see if he could find the owners of the piece but his investigation, that left no stone unturned by the diligent magistrate, went nowhere. No one knew to whom it belonged, much less how it came to rest inside a bush on a faraway, dusty island. After two months had gone by with no one coming forward to claim the item, it was decided that it rightfully belonged to Alexios and he could do with it as he wished.

 _I am surprised that the local magistrate didn't try to keep it for himself which is what I would have expected him, or anyone else, to do. Perhaps he feared what would happen if he crossed a misthios so he decided to let me have it._ He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. _I suppose that there an unexpected side benefit to having such a reputation..._

He chuckled once again and, after a few minutes more of mirth, his thoughts traveled to the bracelet, remembering how it had sparkled in the sun and he couldn't help marveling at it as he turned the piece over in his hand, looking at it from every angle. It was well made and exquisitely beautiful and he found himself thinking more and more about how Fate had placed such a lovely piece on his path when he had resolved to ask Lykaon to be his exclusively.

 _Thanks to the gods or Fate, this is perfect for an engagement gift._ He smiled as he patted the pouch, stepping aside to let an elderly woman pass by him; she thanked him warmly, blessed him and made her way down the street. He watched her until she was lost to sight before turning left, following a well worn dirt path that led to Lykaon's house. _Truly, it seems heaven sent...although I still can't help wondering how it came to be where I found it._

He shook his head, grinning a little sheepishly, his heart beating faster the closer he came to his home, longing welling up within him for the man who had captured him so completely. He still marveled at the change he saw in himself.

He stopped at the corner, looking down the dimly lit streets before making his way down the path to the right _. I don't know how or when but it doesn't matter; my heart is yours, Lykaon, and everything that goes along with it. I don't want anyone else, only you. I just hope that you want me, too._

He shook his head hard, his eyes closing momentarily, his hand clenching into a fist. _No, I'll not think like that. He loves me and I love him. I want to build a life with him here in the Chora and perhaps even raise some children, if he's willing._ He opened his eyes. _All I know for sure is that nothing is worth having if he isn't there with me._

Rounding another corner, he stopped short, his breath quickening. There it was, Lykaon's home, _their_ future home. To outside eyes, it was modest and non descriptive but, to him, it represented _everything_ that mattered to him. Once, he had come in here to spend the night; now, he was back. To stay. __

He walked quickly up the path to the stone porch and stood in front of the oak door, the twin stone pillars holding up the second floor of the home. He hesitated only a moment before he lifted his hand and knocked, his palms sweaty, his heart hammering in his chest.

 _Lykaon..._

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _Lykaon's Home  
The Chora of Delphi  
8 P.M._ _ ****_

Lykaon's head snapped up at the sound of the knock and he rushed to the door, nervously smoothing his hair down as he stood before it. _He's here!_

He swallowed hard, taking a deep breath to calm himself which met, much to his chagrin, with mixed success. A moment later, with his heart hammering in his chest, he opened the lock and pulled open the door, his face beaming as he saw Alexios standing there, his hair blowing gently around his shoulders in the slight, chilly breeze.

"Alexios! Welcome!" Lykaon's voice was happy when he saw him standing outside, his himation damp with the evening dew, his arm braces, bow and sword strapped to his back glittering in the soft moonlight, an infectious smile on his face. "Come in, come in!"

Lykaon caught both Alexios' hands in his own and gently pulled him inside before he closed the door and locked it behind them. He looked longingly into the former Spartan's handsome chiseled face, pulling him toward him for a hungry kiss, his voice full of longing.

"Alexios..." He breathed out his name before their lips touched, another torrid embrace lasting for many wonderful moments.

Once they had parted, Alexios held Lykaon close to him, his head pressed against his chest, his voice soft.

"I've missed you, Healer..." Hearing that soft tone, Lykaon couldn't help but wonder what he had been through since they had met last although he did notice a batch of ringed scars on his left bicep that looked suspiciously like a row of shark teeth to him.

 _Alexios, my foolish, foolish misthios..._ The physician held him close, his grip tightening around his waist. "I...I've missed you, too, Warrior..." He lifted his head to look deeply into Alexios' hazel eyes, his hand sliding up and over his hip, traveling slowly upward over his muscular chest and to the left hand side of his face which he cupped tenderly in his hand. "So very much!"

Alexios leaned forward and kissed him again, his mouth hungry, his hands gripping his hips tightly.

"Gods...I _have_ missed you, Lykaon." Alexios murmured once again against his lips when they paused to take a much needed breath. "My days, and dreams, have been full of thoughts of you." He pulled back slightly, his fingers slowly sliding through his hair, looking at him squarely in the face, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. "You have _bewitched_ me, Healer..."

Lykaon chuckled softly, kissing him back with equal passion.

"As you have me, Spartan." His voice was quiet but the love in his eyes spoke volumes and it nearly took Alexios' breath away to see the expression on his face, to hear it in his voice.

" _Former_ Spartan..." Alexios grinned saucily, wishing to relieve the tension that had suddenly permeated the room.

Lykaon chortled, his fingers tightening on Alexios' hips. " _Former_ Spartan, then," he intoned obediently, waggling his eyebrows roguishly. There was a pause and both men broke down and laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation and Lykaon's pugnaciousness.

Once the laughter had died down into silence, they stared into each other's eyes for a few moments more before they stepped back, Alexios' fingertips sliding slowly down Lykaon's arm, sending a shiver racing down his spine.  
 _  
Oh, dear Gods, do you know what affect you have on me?_ He trembled slightly, a soft moan emerging from his lips. _Your mere touch excites me..._

With a slight chuckle, Lykaon suggested that he take off his armor and weapons before they went into the other room. Alexios agreed and Lykaon helped him to shed his armor and weapons, marveling at the Spartan's glistening tawny skin before placing them on a wooden chair beside the door.

Silence reigned between the two men for some time until Lykaon shook his head, a saucy grin spreading over his face. "I'm sure that you haven't come all this way without having had a meal first." His voice was affectionate though chiding.

 _A safe change of subject._

Alexios blushed, pink rising in his cheeks, a wry smile spreading over the physician's face.  
 _  
I knew it._

"No, you are right, Healer. I have not." He sounded apologetic, not to mention very embarrassed at the oversight. He had been so intent on seeing him that he had neglected to eat properly though he had broken his fast when he had awoken that morning and had had a late afternoon snack on the road to the Chora while Phobos ate his fill of wild grass.

Lykaon sighed loudly, his eyes glimmering with mischief as he rolled them dramatically upward.

" _Spartans_. Apollo help me."

Alexios chortled, slapping him on the shoulder affectionately, his fingers lingering on Lykaon's bared flesh.

"I have eaten smaller meals on my journey but I have not sat down to a proper meal in months." He looked at Lykaon out of the corner of his eye slyly. "I was saving _that_ for our _next_ meeting..."

Lykaon grinned. "In that case, Spartan, we should not tarry but let us go to the table and eat our fill." He took Alexios' right hand in his own and led him to the circular table, sitting down on one of the couches and inviting him to do the same which he did, settling himself down beside Lykaon.

"You're a brave man, Healer." Alexios' silvery baritone voice was rich with amusement. "It is not only _food_ that I have hungered for while we were apart..." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, a saucy "come hither" look glimmering in his gaze.

Lykaon laughed as he picked up a plate, piling various kinds of finger foods on top of it before handing him the plate.

"You talk as if you haven't had a lover in months." He said it casually but he was quaking inside. He shook his head, hoping that Alexios would be too distracted to notice.

Alexios grinned as he took it, his fingers sliding sensuously over his lover's as the latter looked at him, a soft expression on his face. It was curious, though; it was almost as if he were... _expecting_ something.

"I haven't."

It was stated so baldly that it took all of Lykaon's self-control not to yell for joy. Instead, he nodded sagely, his heart was beginning to beat faster. If Alexios _hadn't_ had a lover in all the time they had been apart did this mean that he...could he _possibly._..?  
 _  
Perhaps or maybe Agave is right and I_ am _a fool._ He cast fond eyes over to Alexios, his lips curving into a gentle smile, the Spartan beaming back at him as he popped a piece of salted fish into his mouth, chewing with delighted exclamations. _Ah, gods, let what I hope to be true actually be the truth!_

After many moments of silence, Alexios spoke. __

"Lykaon?"

"Hmmm?" Lykaon's brown eyes swiveled curiously to meet his.

"Is something the matter?"

"Matter?" Lykaon sounded confused; he hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about.

"Are you alright?" Alexios persisted, his voice reflecting his concern as he reached for another piece of dried fish. _Something feels wrong but I don't know what that is. Maybe I'm just jumping at shadows?_

He shook his head, a sheepish expression appearing on his face when it dawned on him exactly what Alexios was referring to.

"I'm fine, Alexios, truly. I'm somewhat... _scatterbrained..._ at the present."

"Ah. Is it because of me?" Alexios' tone was teasing but there was a glint of something else just below the surface that he couldn't _quite_ make out.

 _Alexios..._

"To a certain degree, Spartan, yes it is." He grinned as he filled his own plate and started eating, hoping that Alexios would not inquire further until he had had a chance to think through the myriad of conflicting feelings he was experiencing presently.

"Only a _certain_ degree?" Alexios's voice was teasing as he reached for his goblet of wine, taking a large swallow before placing it down on the table in front of him.

Lykaon nodded, swallowing the piece of bread dipped in olive oil that he had popped into his mouth.

"It is no secret that I have missed you, Alexios," he said slowly, "and my heart sings over seeing you again." He chuckled. "As foolish as it might seem to other ears to hear that, especially coming from a physician."

Alexios' gaze softened and he shook his head. "It does not sound foolish to me, Healer. Mine does the same although I have never heard it expressed so poetically."

"I am glad to hear you say that."

"Oh?" Alexios took some of the honey-drenched orange slices and placed them to the side of his dried fish, his eyes closing for a moment, enjoying the scent of the dessert before he opened them again.

Lykaon hesitated a moment and then chuckled to cover his own discomfiture.

"I am merely being a fool," he remarked, Alexios' head tipping slightly to the right, his eyes narrowing. "Please forgive my impertinence."

Alexios nodded. _I can sense that something is troubling him. And I wish I knew what._

"There is nothing to forgive, Lykaon. As you know, I appreciate honesty and I am curious to know your thoughts." He looked gravely at him, Lykaon's fingers trembling slightly. "I do not wish there to be any secrets between us."

Lykaon's cheeks reddened, wincing at the mild rebuke. "N-no, of course not. I'm only... I..." He stopped, his voice strained. "I...my mind is all awhirl at the moment so please give me some time to get my thoughts in order." He forced a smile onto his face. "Let us finish our repast first and then we may talk. I am curious to hear of your adventures, Alexios."

Alexios hesitated only a moment before he nodded, digging into his meal with gusto, Lykaon following suit with silent relief. They ate in silence for awhile and, once both were satisfied, lay back, each holding a goblet of wine in their right hand, the fingers of their left entwined, lying on the couch between them.

"So." Lykaon's voice was casual but his tone belied the fear that was coursing through him. "How have you fared since we last met, Alexios? What adventures have you had? Have you seen any new wonders or heard about some?" His eyes flickered over to the new ringed scars on his arm. "And where did you get that new crop of scars?"

He knew very well what Alexios had been doing; how could he not? The news had spread up and down the length and breadth of Greece and it was the main topic of in the Chora's Market but he wanted to hear it from Alexios himself. Apollo knew that stories could be exaggerated, especially in the case of heroes.

"Well..." Alexios took a sip of wine. "We cleared out some pirates that were sailing in and around Athens; cleared out some more bandit camps on Delos Island; sailed to the port of Kirrha in order to break up a smuggling ring there in the local temple of Artemis-the head priestess was not what you would call pleased-and cleared out some animal infestations that were terrorizing Phokis."

Lykaon nodded, taking another drink. "It sounds as though you have been quite busy, misthios." He couldn't help but to feel his breast swell with pride. As the Spartan talked of other things that he had done and the wonders he had seen, his eyes swiveled to look at him, a rush of emotion coming over him.

Gods, how he loved this man and yet, he knew that he belonged to the world, both Greece _and_ Sparta, and that he might lose him one day, whether by the turns of Fate or the Gods themselves. Although his heart spasmed in pain at the thought, he was determined to enjoy the time they had.

 _And I have no claim on him; he is free to do as he wishes with whomever he pleases. We are not promised to each other._ The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth and he quickly drank more wine, hoping to clear of it. _Zeus knows, I wish we were..._

He was so lost in his dark thoughts that he didn't hear Alexios talking to him until his gentle touch had startled him. With a loud oath, he jumped, spilling some of his wine down the front of his blue tunic, cursing under his breath.

"Damn it!"

Alexios' brown eyes were troubled as he looked at him fussing with his clothing, trying to staunch the wine he had spilled with the hem of his tunic.

"Lykaon, what is the matter, truly?" He leaned over, placing his goblet on top of the table and turned back to him, catching his hand in his own. Lykaon couldn't meet that penetrating gaze so he cast his eyes down to stare at the stone floor, his fingers trembling slightly in Alexios'. "I _know_ that there is something on your mind and I want to know what it is."

Lykaon sighed.

"I...really didn't want to bring this up, Alexios...not right now, at least," he added hastily, lifting his eyes and seeing the dark expression cross Alexios' face, "but it seems that the Fates have decreed otherwise." He paused, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. "I _know_ that I have no right to you exclusively; you are a grown man and you should be able to do as you please with whomever you please."

Alexios' eyes narrowed, his thumb caressing the back of Lykaon's hand, tracing soft patterns on his knuckles. "True... but I don't see what this has to do with your strange mood or why you seem to be avoiding my questions."

 _What is wrong with Lykaon? He's never acted this way before!_

Lykaon raised a hand. "I'm coming to that. Just... be patient with me."

Alexios bit back a retort and merely nodded. "Very well. Continue, if you would."

Lykaon swallowed hard. "I...know that you have had other lovers besides myself in the past and it has never bothered me before but, recently... _something._..has changed."

A stony silence greeted his statement and, for a brief terrifying moment, he thought that he had lost him for sure. He made no comment but simply reclined beside him, caressing the back of his hand. Lykaon waited anxiously for some time and it was a great relief to him when he finally broke the tense silence some moments later. When he did, his voice sounded puzzled but not truly angry.

"How do you mean?" Alexios' fingers tightened around his own and this gave Lykaon courage to press onward even though he wasn't certain if that was the wisest course. "Again, you speak the truth but you are _still_ avoiding the question." He raised an eyebrow. "I do not have to be a misthios to discern _that_."

 _Is he saying that he doesn't want to be with me or..?_ Alexios' eyes were troubled. _I don't understand._

Lykaon took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his lover reclining in silence beside him, still holding his hand. _I have to be honest, even if it costs me the man I love. He expects it from me and it is the least I can do for him. Oh, my sweet misthios, do you know the conflicting feelings you arouse in me?_

"I...I...love you, Alexios. You and you alone. There is no other that I want besides you." He grinned sheepishly, trying to still the racing of his heart. "It seems that I have fallen prey to both Aphrodite's jest and the sharp arrows of Eros where _you_ are concerned, misthios." He paused again. "I...I know that I have no right to tell you how you should live your life; you have a duty to Greece just as I, myself, do but I...have no desire to share you with other men or women." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Not anymore."

He lifted his head, looking at the stunned expression on Alexios' face and the Spartan could see the unhappiness in his eyes as much as he could hear it in his voice. "Ever since the first day I met you, misthios, I have been drawn to you for a reason I could never fully explain other than it seemed that Fate had placed you in my path. I'm... _happiest_ when we're together, whether we're talking, laughing, sharing physical love or doing nothing at all...it doesn't really matter. All I know is that I love you and I _don't_ want anyone else." He paused again, his cheeks a dirty red. "I... must confess that I...don't truly _know your_ feelings on the matter and I...have _no_ wish to place shackles on you that you might find confining."

"Lykaon, I-"

He held up a hand and Alexios fell silent, the dark look in his eyes mirroring his own.

"Alexios, please...let me finish. You...need to know the truth." He took another deep breath to steel himself, wishing that his racing heart would calm. "I _..._ know that I sound like a jealous fool and, while it's true that I _do_ feel a certain stab of that poisonous emotion, it's not...wholly _that_. " He fell silent a moment, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully. "Do you remember what you said the first time that we shared a kiss three years ago?"

The mercenary nodded, a seraphic smile spreading over his face; Lykaon felt his insides melt. "I do. I said ' _I can't stay forever. But, for now, let me take care of you, Healer.'"_ He paused a moment again, his brow furrowing. "I _still_ don't see what that has to do with our present situation."

Lykaon smiled softly. "You see, _that_ is where my confusion arises from."

Alexios' eyebrow rose. He still wasn't quite certain exactly where this was going and fear was replacing the anger rising within him. "How so?" He tried to keep his voice level but his conflicting emotions were being reflected in the hard tone.

 _What is it that Lykaon's trying to say? I don't understand...what does something I said three years ago have to do with anything that's happening now?_ He felt a stab of pain in his breast, the corners of his lips twitching slightly. _Does this mean that he doesn't want to be with me...?_ Alexios groaned in frustration. _I wish he'd speak plainly!_

Lykaon braced himself, his hand trembling in Alexios'. "I have _no_ right to you. You are _not_ my husband, you are not my intended. You have not been promised to me nor do I have _any_ right to ask you to do something that you either do not wish to or that you would find confining." He squeezed Alexios' fingers. "I...don't want you hating me and I would rather let you have the freedom to do as you choose with... _"_ He paused a moment. _"...whomever_ you choose."

"Lykaon, I-" Alexios didn't get a chance to finish what he was going to say since Lykaon abruptly stood up, releasing his hand and rushing up the stairs toward the second floor balcony, opened it and hurried out, slamming the door behind him. Alexios half-reclined in stunned amazement for some time, his mind whirling while his body remained frozen.

 _What... just happened?_ He looked toward the stairs leading to the second floor, a puzzled expression on his face. _What...? Lykaon...where did he go?_

He thought back to what Lykaon had said earlier wasn't what he was thinking in his own mind: that he might not want him nor would he have waited for him. It took some time for him to work through what he had said and he cursed himself inwardly for being a fool for not recognizing earlier what the physician's fears concerning both himself _and_ their relationship really _were._  
 _  
Oh, hell! He thought that I...and I didn't tell him...oh gods!_ He pressed his fingers against his forehead, his eyes closing. He had let his fear get the better of him; he hadn't told him what was on his mind and Lykaon had taken it to mean that Alexios probably didn't want him...which was not true. _Damn it! No wonder he was talking in circles!_

He longed for the physician with all of his being and wanted to be with him; life really wasn't worth much without Lykaon in his life and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his days with him.

 _Oh, Gods...and I thought that Lykaon wanted his freedom. From me!_ He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again, his fingers clenching into a fist. _Skatá! (Shit!)_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: KICKIN AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME THUMBNAIL ART IS MY OCTOBER PATRON REQUEST BY studiokaWAII! THANKS! :)**  
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 _Resolution_ **  
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I've changed some things and added some others in chapter 4 so please read that first (or re-read) before reading chapter 5.

Enjoy!

Getting close to the end now! :)

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 _10:30 P.M._

Lykaon stood at the railing on the balcony on the second floor, his fingers wrapped so tightly around it that his knuckles were white. The night was dark despite the thin sliver of moon that cast shadowy rays down below, rumbles of thunder rolling somewhere in the distance. It was, he bitterly reflected, a perfect summation of his current mood.

He looked up into the black sky, despair and anguish flowing around him as he stood there, cursing himself for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night. This was _not_ how he had planned the evening to go and he couldn't shake the awful feeling that he had just lost Alexios forever. Truly, Pan was at work here in this situation and he cursed the god in his mind for causing such upheaval.

 _Why couldn't I have kept my mouth shut?!_ He groaned deep in his throat, scrunching his eyes tightly shut, his fingers gripping the railing even tighter than he had been before and weaving slightly on his feet at the rush of emotion. _Gods...what must_ he _think of_ me, _acting like a jealous adolescent?!_

As he stared out into the stormy night, additional questions whirled through his mind at a breakneck pace, tormenting him with their poisonous sharpness: _Why_ couldn't he have just kept silent about his conflicting feelings for Alexios or the stab of jealousy that he felt thinking about him with others? _Why_ did he have to make such a show of them? _Why_ did he want him exclusively and no longer wished to share him when they had had that particular arrangement for over three years which had worked quite well? _Why_ couldn't he just have left well enough alone?

He leaned forward on the railing, his teeth gritted, a moan of pain low in his throat. _I know damned well why I told him: I couldn't lie to him. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had. He_ had _to know the truth, poisonous though it may have been._

He opened his eyes, feeling tears pricking at the corners and he struggled to bring himself under some semblance of control, little droplets of rain striking his cheek. _What good would it be if we couldn't be honest with each other? What would that have meant for our relationship? I want one built on honesty and not lies or even hidden half-truths. Still..._ He tilted his head back, the chilly evening air sweeping over his face, the lump in his throat so large that it threatened to choke him. _I wish I had handled it better than I did, letting my fears and despair get the better of me. Why did I let this happen?!_

He stood there for a few moments more until a deep, shuddering breath broke from deep within; though he fought hard to contain it, a strangled sob emerged from his tightly compressed lips, his shoulders shaking.

 _Alexios..._ He moaned once more as an arrow of despair pierced his breast. He lowered his head and let the tears come, flowing down his face and mixing with the rain that was coming down now harder than it had before. He wept disconsolately for some time, his hands wrapped tightly around the railing like a drowning man onto a lifeline, recriminations battering him from all sides in his mind.

 _Why, why why?!_

He was so immersed in his own misery that he didn't hear Alexios come in through the door onto the balcony, jumping in startled surprise when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

What...?! Who-?! Lykaon gasped as he turned, looking into Alexios' hazel eyes, his tender gaze sweeping over him. Suddenly feeling ashamed of his tears, he scrubbed them away with shaking fingers while he tried to explain to Alexios, who he was sure despised him, what had happened but, to his horror, he found that he had no voice.

He opened his mouth repeatedly but still his voice would not come even though he struggled to speak for some time. After a few fruitless moments, he gave up, staring helplessly at Alexios and snapping his mouth shut. He saw his lover's eyes close for a moment and then open again, the corners of his mouth twitching; Lykaon couldn't tell if he was surprised or angry from the myriad expressions that crossed his face, a tense silence reigning between the two of them. He now regretted saying anything and allowing his weakness to get the better of him in front of Alexios.

 _Why is he so quiet?!_ He wished that Alexios would say something- _anything_!-to break the terrible silence but he simply stood there, his eyes locking with his, his hand still a gentle presence on his bare skin, not saying a word.

 _Agave is right...I_ am _a fool...and I've probably lost him forever. Ah, gods, why didn't I keep my mouth shut?!_

Alexios opened his mouth to speak but, before he had a chance to say a word, Lykaon quickly cut him off.

"I...I'm sorry, Alexios...I...shouldn't have said anything and I'm-"

He never had a chance to complete the thought before he felt the Spartan pull him forward, his strong fingers wreathing in his black locks, pressing him close to his chest. Lykaon was stunned into an amazed silence, his heart hammering in his chest., his body trembling, uncertainty in his mind.

 _Alexios?!_

"I'm glad," he heard him say and his voice was quiet with an intensity of emotion that thrilled him. "I'm glad that you told me the truth. Now I know _why_ it seems that you have had a crushing weight on your heart, something that I couldn't understand fully until this moment." He pressed a tender kiss on the top of his head. "Thank you, Lykaon, for telling me."

Lykaon nodded, not trusting himself to speak and his throat hurt from the effort it took to keep back the tears he could feel pricking at the corners of his eyes once again.

 _Where does that leave us now? Where we will go from here? And why doesn't he say something?!_

He drew in a shaky breath. "...And?" Lykaon's voice was barely above a whisper. He was afraid to hear what Alexios would say but even more afraid if he didn't. He waited in a tense, nearly unbearable silence, vibrating like a harp string from the intensity of his warring emotions.

Alexios stepped back, his hand sliding from Lykaon's head to cup the side of his face, tilting his head upward to look at him, a contrite expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, Healer..."

Lykaon's eyebrow rose. "Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I should have recognized earlier that something was wrong and asked about it then instead of letting you suffer in silence." He looked at him. "This is something new for me and I'm not used to having a steady lover; I can be selfish and self-centered sometimes and I hope that you will be able to forgive me."

Lykaon nodded, swallowing hard.

"There's nothing to forgive but I do so, with all of my heart."

Alexios nodded, his fingers trailing soft trails down his tear-stained cheeks.

"There's something else that you should know."

Lykaon stiffened, his body going rigid. _Oh gods..._

"Yes?" He could barely get the words out. "What is it?"

Alexios felt the tension in his body and hastened to reassure him. "You _have_ my heart, Lykaon... and everything else that goes along with it."

 _What?!_ Lykaon gasped in surprise, his eyes opening wide and stared at Alexios in stupified amazement, the latter looking at him with mingled amusement and love. O _h, gods, let what I thought I heard him just say be true!_

"Alexios...?"

"You _have_ captured my heart, Healer, _and_ my love." He looked earnestly at him, his fingers sliding over his jaw, his thumb slowly tracing gentle patterns. "What you say is true: you have _no_ claim to me nor I to you and we could both seek others if we so chose to do so but ..."

He paused a moment, his heart singing when he saw the joyous expression spread over Lykaon's face as he now fully understood Alexios' meaning. "I spoke the truth when I said that I had not had a lover in all of the time we were apart, even though I could have. I did not seek out anyone else for the simple reason that I found, much to my surprise, that I had fallen in love with you." He chuckled. "You have tamed the wild beast, Lykaon; I know not how but you have. That I am in no doubt of."

"Alexios..." Lykaon was so overcome by emotion that he couldn't speak, hugging his Spartan lover tighter against him.

"Lykaon...gentle Healer..." He lifted up Lykaon's chin, leaning in slowly for a tender kiss, their lips meeting and moving together in sweet harmony. Lykaon's arms lifted to wrap around Alexios' neck, the latter 's sliding around his waist, kneading his hips underneath his tunic with infinite gentleness. **  
**  
They embraced for many wonderful moments and it was with hesitation that they finally pulled apart, their foreheads resting against each other, their eyes closed, enjoying the moment and their closeness.

"You seemed surprised by this, Spartan," Lykaon teased, chuckling, rubbing the tip of his nose against Alexios'.

" _Former_ Spartan and yes, it did." Lykaon could hear the wonder and surprise in Alexios' voice and it made his heart sing. "I confess that the Divine Aphrodite has quite taken me by surprise."

Lykaon chuckled. "I think that She does that to all. It seems to me to be a divine jest that the gods like to play on we mortals every now and then."

"I do have to agree with you on that." Alexios hugged him closer, his fingers sliding slowly up and down his hips, Lykaon gasping in pleasure as a thill raced down his spine. "And what a jest it is."

"Indeed." He moaned quietly, his eyes closing, his lips half-parted. "Oh, Alexios, I love you..."

"I love you, too, Healer."

They stood together on the balcony for some time until Lykaon suggested that they go inside. The rain was falling in thick sheets and Alexios agreed, shivering slightly as they left, Lykaon closing the door behind him before taking him into his arms once more, holding him close.

Lykaon looked deeply into Alexios' eyes, his mouth curving into a smile when he saw the depth of emotion reflected in them as Alexios leaned down, his hand slowly traveling up his arm, his nimble fingers undoing the brooch attached to his chilton, grinning salaciously as the blue fabric silently parted, slipping off of his shoulder with a soft whisper.

"I think," Alexios murmured, his eyes twinkling, "that we could be engaged in far better things than mere conversation."

Lykaon laughed heartily, kissing Alexios' lips with soft butterfly kisses as his lover swept him up in his arms, carrying him to his bedroom where they explored each other's bodies for the rest of the night, sweaty though satisfied limbs tangled with the bed sheets.

Alexios lay sprawled with one arm thrown over Lykaon's chest, his head lying on his left shoulder; he smiled as he felt Lykaon's fingers running gently through his hair, murmuring in satisfied appreciation. Silence reigned between them for some time until Alexios at last broke it.

 _I wonder what he'd think...?_ He shifted to snuggle closer beside him, Lykaon murmuring with sleepy appreciation as he did so, his arm tightening around his shoulders. _I suppose there's no other way to find out than to ask._

"Lykaon?"

"Mmmm?"

Alexios cracked open a sleepy hazel eye and looked squarely at his lover.

"I was thinking..."

"Oh?" Lykaon's voice was rich with amusement as he kissed Alexios' temple. "What were you thinking about?"

Alexios playfully cuffed his shoulder and took a deep breath, Lykaon chuckling mischievously.

"I'm being serious."

"I'm sorry, Alexios." Lykaon chuckled at the sour look on Alexios' face as he looked reproachfully at him. "I couldn't resist teasing you a little."

Alexios sniffed with mock severity and nuzzled the side of his lover's neck affectionately, taking the time to gather up his courage to ask the question that had been on his mind for some time now. Part of him wondered what Lykaon would say and another couldn't help but feel that it might be too soon to think of such things seeing as how they had cemented a permanent union only a few hours earlier.

 _Is it too soon or should this be something we settle from the start? I'm not sure what the right approach is..._

Silence reigned for a few moments more before Lykaon gently stroked his slick, sweaty flesh with his fingertips, Alexios shivering with pleasure at the electricity that raced through him.

"You said you were thinking of something." He kissed the top of his head. "May I ask what that was?"

Alexios' cheeks burned red. "I was wondering..." He paused again, taking a deep breath. "How... do you feel about adopting...a child?"

A brilliant smile lit up Lykaon's face and Alexios' breath caught in his throat, relief washing over him.

"I'd love nothing better." He smiled at him as he leaned in for a kiss, Alexios' eyelids fluttering shut as his lips gently touched his. "It's something I've dreamed of for many years but I wanted a permanent relationship first. I've seen what homes without a father face and I didn't want any future offspring to be burdened with an unhappy and unstable home."

Alexios nodded, his arm tightening around Lykaon's side. "As did I when the time came."

"Then I do believe that the point is settled, misthios." Lykaon chuckled tiredly as he reached down to pull the sheet over them. "But first, I think we should get some sleep. We can discuss this further in the morning."

 _Whatever may happen doesn't matter; Lykaon will be by my side and we can weather the storms, such as they may be, together._

Alexios nodded once again before settling down in Lykaon's arms, his heart so full of joy that he thought it might burst. It wasn't long before both men fell asleep, Aurora's rays touching the clouds and slowly spreading across the sky.


	6. Chapter 6

_1 P.M._

Lykaon was the first to rouse himself from sleep, yawning and stretching his cramped muscles. His bleary eyes, still covered with the webs of sleep, widened momentarily when he felt, and then saw, the sleeping Alexios lying beside him.

He smiled softly, brushing his lover's hair gently before snuggling in closer beside him. Alexios, still fast asleep, moaned quietly and then moved his arm up to cover his chest, snuggling closer, a smile gracing his lips.

Lykaon couldn't help but chuckle at that, his eyes swiveling over to the floor, their discarded clothing, loincloths and sandals in an untidy heap on the floor adjacent to the bed.  
 _  
Even if I thought that this was only a dream, I suppose that the the clothing pile on the floor would have pointed to the beautiful reality._ His brow creased momentarily as another thought crossed his mind. _When on earth did we take our sandals off?_

He had no collective memory of having done so although he assumed that it was sometime after they had arrived in his bedroom, Alexios carrying him in his arms over to the bed.

 _Just like a bride on her wedding night._ Lykaon smiled softly at the memory, closing his eyes and reliving the moment when they had joined together but this time as a committed couple. He was astonished at how different their lovemaking had felt to him; it had the same satisfaction and passion that it always had but now, somehow, it felt _different._ More _permanent._ More... _faithful_ , perhaps, because now they were each other's exclusively?  
 _  
Whatever it might be, it_ does _feel different. Not that its a bad thing; quite the contrary! I like this new feeling and I'm pretty sure that Alexios does, as well. I wonder if it felt the same for him as it did for me._

He turned his gaze toward the shuttered window; he could see little streaks of grey peeking in through the natural cracks in the wood and he could hear the soft pinging of the rain as it bounced off of the closed wooden shutters.

 _I suppose that its still raining; I wonder if it ever stopped?_ He chuckled softly, his eyes flickering to look down at Alexios. _Not that either of us would have noticed..._

He lay there for some time, a saucy grin gracing his lips, his eyes closed, listening to the musical sound as the rain fell, feeling his arm clench suddenly before relaxing again. He loved listening to the sound of rain falling; it was such a soothing one and one he always enjoyed hearing, no matter the season, for it soothed his spirit and provided much needed refreshment.

 _The simple things in life are truly the best, whether they be a sunset, the musical sound of rain on the shutters, a child's laugh, a lover's murmur._ He sighed in contentment. _Truly, I am the most blessed of men...  
_  
Lykaon lay there for some time, his fingers gently caressing Alexios' shoulder absentmindedly, a soft smile on his face. He couldn't help but feel his heart sing with a joyful song; everything he had ever wanted, even future children, was now to be theirs.

Words of praise sprang into his mind. _O Divine One, glorious Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, You are to be blessed for bringing us together, a physician and a misthios, a most unlikely pair..._

He still couldn't completely wrap his mind around Her most marvelous jest in bringing a misthios and a physician together as a love match; he doubted that he could ever fully understand it but that really didn't matter. He loved Alexios and was loved by him in return and they wanted to make a life together which included eventual adopted children.

 _Which brings up a host of other decisions that we will have to make._ He bit his lip, glancing at Alexios for a moment before his eyes swiveled back to the closed shutters, a soft sigh escaping his lips. _The most pressing will be where we will make our home. And what will he do with the_ Adrestia _? Where could we possibly store it?_

Lykaon frowned as more thoughts came crowding into his mind. _And what of Barnabas and his crew? Where will they go? Their home IS the ship; they don't have anywhere else to go to_ except _t_ _here. Alexios said that he wouldn't be making any trips but I think that he may have to at some point, if only to decide where we will live and raise our children should we decide to move out of the Chora._

He could feel Alexios stirring briefly and looked down, thinking that he might finally rousing himself from sleep but he only murmured something under his breath before lapsing into sleep once again, his chest rising and falling with his even breathing. _That's something else we will have to decide as well: how many children we wish to take in. I don't want to get into a situation where we have more children than we can provide for; I've seen the results of this oversight far too often and it never ends well for the poor child._

He glanced back at the shutters. _Where would we get them and would Alexios have a preference? I suppose an unwed mother might not be too inclined to give up her child but perhaps she may if she cannot properly care for it. Perhaps those poor unfortunates who are exposed on a hillside might also be a potential place or even the taking in of orphans. I really don't mind a boy or girl but would he prefer one over the other?_ He blinked before looking away. _So many things to decide...and I'm not sure that either one of us is really ready for_ that _kind of commitment yet._

He banished further thought and just lay there for some time, listening to the musical sound of the rain against the shutters, lying in drowsy contentment before he felt Alexios stirring more animatedly beside him. He looked down, his beloved's bleary hazel eyes looking back at him, his mouth creased in a sleepy smile.

"Kaliméra agapiméni (Good morning, beloved)," he whispered tenderly, leaning over and brushing his lips over Alexios' in a tender kiss, his lover smiling against his mouth as he returned it.

"Και σε σένα, αγαπητή μου (And to you, Dearest)," Alexios murmured in reply, flexing his cramped fingers until they weren't so stiff, wrapping his arm around Lykaon's waist.

"Did you sleep well?" Lykaon asked, nuzzling the side of his head with the tip of his nose, noting that although they had used endearments occasionally over the years it now felt more... _special._ And _real._

Alexios nodded. "Like a child." He blinked owlishly as he stared at the klepsydra that prominently stood on the small wooden table in the corner. "What time is it?"

Lykaon looked over his head, squinting. "I'd say its probably around one o'clock in the afternoon." His eyes swiveled to look at the closed shutters. "I would say that would be my _guess_ although its really hard to tell with the shutters closed." He grinned as he looked back at Alexios, listening to the soft pinging of the rain. "I don't think it _ever_ stopped raining..."

"Perhaps not." Alexios yawned, his eyes narrowing as he stretched and Lykaon once again admired his lover's muscled body, his eyes skimming appreciatively over his glistening, nude flesh. "Maybe I shouldn't get into the habit of sleeping in. You _never_ know when such a thing could prove deadly..."

Lykaon laughed and hugged him closer, noting the smug look that his lover had on his face. "I hardly think that you have that to worry about here in the Chora, Alexios; there are hundreds of pairs of eyes _always_ watching and they _know_ when a stranger arrives." He smiled. "I don't think that you have anything to worry about."

"A lifetime of ingrained habit, Healer," Alexios said puckishly though with a note of earnestness in his voice that Lykaon didn't miss. "When you do what I do for a living, you learn to sleep with one eye open."

"True enough." Lykaon couldn't repress the shudder than ran through him at the truth of what his lover had said but he quickly shrugged it off, his grip tightening on Alexios.

"Let's not speak of such things now," Alexios quickly interjected, seeing at once the shadow that passed over his face and instantly deducing the reason. "This is a time for rejoicing so let us speak of much more pleasant subjects."

Lykaon smiled wanly as he nodded. "Agreed, misthios. What shall we talk about?"

Alexios lifted himself up until he was sitting upright, his head lying on the physician's shoulder, a secretive smile gracing his lips.

"How about us?" Alexios' hooded eyes glimmered with mischief as he looked at him.

Lykaon couldn't repress the brilliant smile that lit up his entire face and it took Alexios' breath away to see it.  
 _  
_"Truth, misthios," he replied puckishly and Alexios chuckled at the roguish expression on his face, Lykaon joining in the general merriment for some time until the laughter eventually died down to be replaced by silence. "We have much to settle..."

Alexios sighed with regret, snuggling closer to Lykaon. "You speak the truth, Healer; we have many things to discuss and a future to plan."  
 _  
_He nodded silently, his eyes misting, his fingers tightening around Alexios' shoulder. _Yes, now we have a future together, Aphrodite be praised..._

 _"_ Truth, misthios," he replied puckishly and Alexios chuckled at the roguish expression on his face, Lykaon joining in the general merriment for some time until the laughter eventually died down to be replaced by silence, "but, as you mentioned earlier, there is much we have to discuss... and some problems that need to be addressed."

Alexios' eyebrow rose, surprise plain in his tone. " _Problems_?"

It was clear to Lykaon that he hadn't thought of exactly what these would be or that they would be coming to the surface this quickly and he nodded, his fingertips gliding over his lover's slick skin.

"First and foremost is the question of where we plan on living and what are you going to do with the _Adrestia_? As you know, there is no body of water close to the Chora; the closest is in Kirrha so where are you going to dock it? Furthermore, where is the crew going to stay? Their home is _onboard_ the ship, Alexios, they have nowhere else to go. We _can't_ leave them stranded."

Alexios sighed, nodding in agreement.

"You speak the truth, Healer. It seems as if we do have some things that need to be worked through that I hadn't considered and the sooner we find solutions to them, the better."

"I agree." Lykaon hugged him close. "You know that you are welcome in my home and, if I had the room to spare, so would your crew but that, I fear, is impossible for a very specific reason that you are well aware of."

"Lack of space."

"Exactly. I think that we could accommodate maybe four people besides ourselves here in reasonable comfort though it might be a bit crowded but that doesn't cover the other two hundred. Where would they go?"

"I don't know." Alexios' voice was subdued. "I never thought that far ahead."

Lykaon's fingers tightened on Alexios' back, squeezing in a comforting gesture before relaxing once again. "But, before we even start to tackle _that_ particular problem, we must first settle the question of _where_ we're going to make our home. We could live comfortably here in my home in the Chora but that just reinforces the _first_ problem."

"Which is?"

"What are we going to do with your ship?" Lykaon's eyes flickered over to the shuttered window and back to Alexios. "We need to dock it somewhere where it can be properly looked after when its not in use; as you know, there is no available body of water in or around the Chora." The ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "I _know_ that you will probably take her out to sea for an excursion at some point in time and its good to make sure that she's in good shape when you do."

"Not without _you_." Alexios' voice was firm, his eyes flashing hazel sparks, his mouth an angry slash. "I promised you and I intend to keep my word."

"I _never_ had any doubt, sweet one," Lykaon replied soothingly, his fingertips slowly trailing up Alexios' back, making small circles on his skin which, as he knew from long experience, would calm him, "nor was I doubting you. You gave me your word and I _know_ that you will keep it. I'm merely mentioning that, while its _not_ in use, it will have to be stored somewhere in order to be properly looked after so she _will_ be seaworthy when we go out to sea."

Alexios shrugged but Lykaon felt him relax and he breathed a mental sigh of relief, continuing the gentle patterns.

" _We_ , Healer?" Alexios' voice was teasing. "You seem _very_ sure of yourself in that regard."

"As in many _others_ that specifically concern _you_ , misthios."

Alexios chuckled softly before they lapsed into a companionable silence once more for some time until he broke it, bringing them back to the original topic of conversation. After some time of lively discussion, they agreed that it didn't matter where they lived as long as they were together; they would figure out the finer details later after Alexios had a chance to discuss matters with Barnabas, and the _Adrestia's_ crew, to get their insight and what they wished to do.

They had also decided that, in the matter of the children they would adopt, it didn't matter what the sex of said child was and they would take in as many as they could decently care for. They also agreed that it was too soon to think of such a thing as they were just beginning their exclusive relationship and both agreed that it would be wise to let it grow for awhile before coming back to the topic at a later date.

With the basics settled, they lay back down for awhile, listening to the rain before, with great reluctance, deciding to get up.

"I could get used to this," Alexios said with a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Don't get _too_ comfortable, misthios," Lykaon responded, cuffing him playfully on the shoulder, both men laughing heartily as Lykaon swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, Alexios' hazel eyes gazing appreciatively at his naked form as he bent over to pick up the loincloth that he had discarded the previous night.

"Wait, Lykaon." Alexios reached out from his semi-prone position on the bed, his fingers wrapping around his wrist, holding him fast. Lykaon looked at him, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Yes?"

"There's something that I wanted to give you." Alexios blushed. "I found it on the road when I was doing a job in Messaina, under a bush if you can believe it."

Lykaon's eyes twinkled. "I can. Stranger things have happened."

"I was saving it for the right moment and I believe that the time has come." Alexios reached down on his side of the bed for his leather pouch and picked it up, opening it and motioning Lykaon to come over to him which his lover did, his puzzlement increasing.

Alexios took his hand in his own, his eyes gazing up at him earnestly.

"Αγαπημένη (Dearest), you are the one that I wish to share my life with." He paused a moment, his fingers beginning to tremble slightly, Lykaon's eyes misting. "There is no life without you that is worth living and I want you and only you in my life, in my bed and by my side for as long as the gods will it." He paused again. "Will you have me?"

"Yes." Lykaon's voice was so soft that Alexios had to strain to hear the words but his face broke out into a wide smile, clutching Lykaon's hand tightly in his own. He let it go briefly, quickly undid the leather strips on his pouch that held it closed, reached in and brought out the arm bracelet, Lykaon's eyes widening in surprise at how beautiful it looked. He held out his left arm, Alexios quickly slipping it on, smiling in satisfaction as he did so before he pulled Lykaon down for a quick kiss.

Lykaon was speechless for many moments.

"Cat got your tongue, Healer?" he teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Lykaon's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink before he shook his head, chuckling softly.

"I must confess that yes, for once I _am_ speechless...with joy." He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them again. "It is, indeed, an most exquisitely beautiful piece and thank you for it."

Alexios smiled, nodding, squeezing his hand affectionately. "It seems like it was put in my path for a reason and what a perfect way to give it to you than as a pledge of my troth."

Lykaon smiled once more before he turned and poicked up the rest of his discarded clothing off the floor and hurriedly dressed, Alexios following suit before they went cobbled together a quick breakfast from the remains of their dinner the night before, leavening their meal with more discussions on their future plans.

After they were done and the table cleared, they hurried over to the home of Lykaon's grandmother, Praxithea, who welcomed them both with undisguised pleasure and joy when she opened the door, giving them both an affectionate hug. The pain of the past had been forgiven and the relationship between herself, Agave and Lykaon had also been repaired, thanks to Alexios weho was more than willing to let bygones be bygones; since then, the three much had grown much closer, much to Alexios' delight, than they had been three years earlier.

She listened intently when they said that they had some news to tell her: that they were now an exclusive couple and that they had wanted her to be the first to hear it.

The smile that spread over her face was brilliant and she hugged them both, wishing them every happiness in the world, exclaiming with pleasure when she saw the arm bracelet that Lykaon wore on his arm, Alexios explaining that it was his engagement gift to him and a reminder of his troth to the handsome physician.

"A most beautiful piece, misthios." She gave him a sideways look, the corners of her mouth twitching with amusement. "And it's about time that you two finally settled down," she continued with mock severity as she stepped back from Alexios, her eyes twinkling with mischief, giving Alexios a slow wink. "Now, you can build a _real_ family together..."

Lykaon's eyes misted, Alexios taking his hand in his own and squeezing it, pulling him to his side and resting his head on his shoulder.

 _Yes, now we are truly a real family and, gods willing, we shall be for many happy years to come and any children that we welcome into our home._ He closed his eyes _. Everything I've ever wanted has now come to pass. Thank you, blessed Aphrodite!  
_ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX** _  
_  
 _Somewhere, far above, a Goddess was smiling, waiting for the final act that would put a final close to this drama that She had brought about._

Soon, My children. Soon.


End file.
